


Stars and Polka Dots

by bewaretheboojum



Series: Dusk and Revenant [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Schmoop, Terrible Socks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-28 04:32:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18203573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bewaretheboojum/pseuds/bewaretheboojum
Summary: Jason likes it when Tim laughs.





	Stars and Polka Dots

**Author's Note:**

> Written during a sprint with Capes and Coffee for the prompt “You have so many colors I think I need sunglasses.”

Jason hadn't thought about his socks until he found himself on board Hitch at the end of the night, kicking his boots off to one corner of Tim’s ship. Tim had shown up about half way through Jason’s patrol, offering to help him on his recon mission. Unfortunately, it started pouring not too long after Tim had arrived. They had both gotten soaked and ended up giving on the recon early because they were getting way too cold in the chilly night of early Spring.

The minute Jason slumped onto Hitch and pulled the first boot off, he knew he was probably in for some mild ribbing from Tim. The socks were a little hard to miss.

The socks had been a gift from Dick on his birthday few years ago. They were multi-color and lined with stripes, alternately colored polka dots and small five pointed stars were scattered over the thin, stretchy fabric. The socks had ended up mostly matching the cupcakes Dick and Damian had gotten for him for his birthday. Jason guessed they had bought extra sprinkles to emphasize the similarities. 

Jason had rolled his eyes when he got the gift, but since Dick had been beaming at him as he opened them, Jason never had the heart to throw them away. He rarely wore them, but laundry day had come and gone three days ago and Jason hadn't quite made it to the laundromat. He was scraping the bottom of the underwear drawer and he rainbow socks had been his only option when he got dressed this morning.

Tim hadn't noticed Jason's socks when he first pulled off his boots. Tim was far too absorbed with getting out of his own soggy uniform.

Grimacing as he pulled his armored overshirt up over his head, Tim hurried over to his chest of drawers and pulled out a pair of sweatpants, a thick, warm sweater, two undershirts, and a thick pair of socks. Tim quickly pulled on dry clothes and grabbed a towel to rub his hair dry.

Jason had fared a little better than Tim in the cold, gusty springtime rain that had coated Gotham City that evening. Jason's coat had protected most of his clothes, but his hair was damp and he felt chilled to the bone. Jason tossed his coat aside, pulled off his over-shirt and pants.

By the time Jason was down to his undershirt, boxers and socks, Tim was already climbing under the covers in his bunk. Tim's bed was tucked into a little alcove set into Hitch's wall. It wasn't quite as narrow as seemed the first time Jason's had seen it, and it was softer than it looked. There was a deep nest of covers and pillows that Tim curled up in each night to sleep. 

Jason made to follow Tim into his bed, when Jason's heard Tim's soft, almost surprised, laugh.

"What are those?" Tim asked, laughing breathlessly as he shivered from beneath the covers.

"What?" Jason asked, smiling at him. "You don't like my socks?"

"Oh man, they are so colorful I think I might need sun glasses just to fully take them in."

"That is possible," Jason conceded, climbing into the bunk next to Tim and pulling Tim into his arms.

Tim's shoulders were still shaking with laughter and cold as Jason settled into the pillows and pulled the blankets up around them.

"Are there polka dots and stars?" Tim asked, his eyes bright with humor.

"Polka dots, stars, stripes, the whole nine yards," Jason explained agreeably. “You jealous?”

"Where did you even find those?" Tim asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "What type of store would even sell them?"

"They were a gift."

"Let me guess: Dick?" Tim asked, his smile clear in his voice.

"You got it in one. How'd you know?"

Tim didn't answer, he just started laughing quietly again.

Jason pulled him close and settled Tim against his chest. Tim's skin was slightly cool against Jason's and his wet hair stuck to Jason's shoulder. Shivering slightly, Jason pulled the covers up more firmly around the two of them. Tim made a contented noise and helped Jason pull the blankets in place.

"Man, what did you say when he gave those to you? What was he even thinking?"

"What he was thinking is not even remotely clear to me. He just smiled at me when I opened them, so I assume he thought he did a good job. I couldn't stand to tell him that I thought they were ugly. So I kept them."

"Wow." Tim said, still laughing a little. "Taking one for the team."

"That's what brothers do," Jason said airily. "We protect each other from the forces of evil and to balance it out, we occasionally give each other socks that resemble the embodiment of evil."

Tim started laughing again at that.

Jason leaned over and pressed a kiss to Tim's temple. Nuzzling at the damp hair near Tim's ear, he breathed in Tim's scent and relaxed into the bed.

"Mmmmm, you feel good. I'm glad we came back here after patrol. Even if you are making fun of my favorite socks," Jason murmured into Tim's temple.

"I do like them, though. I just can't decide if they match everything or nothing..."

"I feel like the answer is that they do both at the same time," Jason replied.

"That statement feels right but seems wrong," Tim said. "I almost feel like we need to consult Dr. Fate about this. It's almost an existential question."

"Wow, Dr. Fate and existential questions, the two things I avoid as much as possible..." Jason drawled.

"I still can't believe Alfred hasn't gotten rid of them on you," Tim said. "Does he know where you keep them?"

"Nah, I do all my own laundry."

"I feel like if he ever even caught sight of them, he would feel compelled to take matters into his own hands. He'd break into your apartment and replace them with something conservative and sensible. Like navy blue dress socks or something."

"Oooooh, you might be right," Jason said. "I should probably keep these babies hidden."

"You're very attached to them?" Tim asked, tilting his head back on Jason's shoulder to look up at Jason. His eye lashes were damp with tears and the smile was still twitching at the corners of his mouth. He was beautiful.

"I wasn't before, but now that they've made you laugh so much..." Jason said, trailing off to press a soft kiss to Tim's mouth.

Tim breathed a small laugh into the kiss and reached an arm up to warm around Jason's neck. Humming into the kiss, Tim snuggled in closer to Jason.

"Today was soggy and miserable," Jason said, breaking from the kiss. "But this made it absolutely worth it in the end."

"Strongly agree," Tim said. "The only thing that could make it better would be--"

"A cup of peppermint tea," Jason finished for him. "Yeah, I bet."

"I'm not willing for either of us to get up and make one, though. So don't even thinking about moving," Tim said, firmly.

"You're the boss," Jason teased and gently kissed the shell at the top of Tim's ear.  
Tim shivered in response and pressed his face to Jason's shoulder.

"You feel nice too," Tim said softly. "I'm glad you came back with me."

 

"Me too, beats my cold bed and drafty apartment," Jason agreed.

"You should..." Tim started and then broke off, pressing his face into Jason's shoulder and avoiding his eyes.

"I should what?" Jason prompted resting his cheek on the top of Tim's head.

Tim's bed was so soft and so warm, the blankets were piled high over the both of them. Jason was just starting to warm back up after a long chilly night on patrol. Tim's skin was still cool against his, but he had stopped shivering.

"You should stay." Tim said slowly. "Stay the night, I mean. The whole night."

Jason pulled back and reached out a hand to gently grip Tim's chin. He tilted Tim's head up so they faced each other. Tim's cheeks were still pink with cold and a droplet of water was gathering at the bangs that were hanging over Tim's forehead.

Tim looked beautiful, unsure, and utterly perfect.

"Absolutely," Jason whispered. "There's nothing in the world I want more than to spend the whole night right here with you in arms."

Tim leaned up and pressed a kiss to Jason's mouth and sighed happily.

"I want that too," Tim whispered against Jason's mouth. "More than anything."

"But I can only stay on one condition," Jason whispered back, nuzzling at the corner of Tim's mouth and pressing soft kisses to the line of his jaw.

"Hmmm?" Tim hummed a distracted question as he melted into Jason's kisses.

"You have to get a pair of socks to match mine," Jason whispered against Tim's skin in a soft, sexy tone of voice.

Jason caught Tim's startled laugh in his mouth as pulled Tim into a long, deep kiss.


End file.
